Integrated circuitry production processes, methods, and systems

ABSTRACT

The invention includes methods of forming capacitor structures and removing organic material. An organic material, such as a photoresist, is disposed on a substrate. The organic material is contacted with a chemical mechanical polishing pad and a polishing fluid to remove the organic material from the substrate. The polishing fluid can be essentially free of particles, and can be water.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/499,096, filed Aug. 2, 2006, which is a continuation of U. S.application Ser. No. 10/734,995, filed Dec. 12, 2003, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/134,201 filed Apr. 25,2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,706,632 B2; the entirety of all of which areincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor processing. Inparticular applications the invention pertains to methods of formingcapacitor structures and methods of resist removal.

BACKGROUND

Increased performance, both with regard to more complex functionalityand higher speeds, is a continuing goal of efforts in advancing thesemiconductor arts. One method that has been used for achieving thisgoal is scaling downward the size of individual devices used in formingadvanced semiconductor integrated circuits. However, it is found that attimes, changes in the components used in fabricating such down-sizeddevices are advantageous. For example, where capacitors, such as thoseused in memory integrated circuits, are scaled downward in size,dielectric materials such as silicon oxide and silicon nitride are oftenreplaced with alternate materials having a higher dielectric constant toachieve desired capacitance. Where such replacements of dielectricmaterials are made, it can be advantageous to form capacitor electrodescomprising one or more of platinum, tantalum, ruthenium, iridium, andtitanium. Such electrodes can comprise, for example, alloys of variousmetals and/or nitrides of various metals, including, for example,titanium nitride. The capacitors comprising metallic electrodes are wellknown in the art, and are frequently described as metal-insulator-metalcapacitor constructions.

One method for patterning various dielectric and conductive materials ischemical mechanical polishing (CMP). A material (such as platinum), canbe blanket formed within an opening and over surfaces proximate theopening. The material can be removed from over the surfaces by a CMPmethod. The material within the opening, elevationally below that uppersurface, will not be removed. The material within the opening canultimately form a capacitor electrode structure. A problem with the CMPmethod can be scratching or smearing of the material, which can preventthe proper forming of the ultimately desired capacitor structure. Forinstance, if the material is platinum or an alloy of platinum,scratching or smearing of the platinum can occur in a CMP process. Itcan be difficult, and for all practical purposes impossible, to removesmeared platinum from within a container.

It would be desirable, to develop a CMP method where the removal ofportions of various materials (such as platinum or barrier materials)can be effected without scratching or smearing across surfaces of thematerials. It would also be desirable if such a CMP method wascost-effective and could be performed using essentially standard CMPprocessing tools.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present invention can provide methods for formingstructures (such as capacitor or plug structures) and/or removing resistfrom a semiconductor substrate. A material is formed over a substrate,and a resist layer is formed over the material. Subsequently, at least aportion of the resist layer is removed to expose a desired portion ofthe material. The resist layer can be removed by providing contact of achemical mechanical polishing pad and a polishing fluid with the resistlayer. Such contact can be provided by a chemical mechanical polishingsystem that encompasses a mechanism for moving the polishing pad and/orthe substrate. In some embodiments of the present invention it isadvantageous to provide that the polishing fluid has a particleconcentration of less than or equal to about 0.1% by weight of asilica-comprising material, and in particular embodiments it isadvantageous for the polishing fluid to be essentially free ofparticles. In particular aspects, the polishing fluid can comprisetetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) or ammonia to increase a rate ofremoval of various compositions by the fluid.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide for forming a recesswithin the semiconductor substrate prior to forming the material that isto be covered by the resist. For such embodiments, the material can beformed to partially fill the recess and extend outward over an uppersurface of the semiconductor substrate. The resist layer can be formedwithin the partially filled recess.

A suitable semiconductor substrate can encompass a semiconductiveportion and an overlying insulative portion. For embodiments thatencompass a recess, such recess can be formed within the insulativeportion. In some embodiments the recess extends to expose, at a bottomand/or sidewalls of the recess, a portion of the semiconductive portionor a portion of a conductive device formed over or in the semiconductiveportion. Where the material encompasses a conductive material,electrical communication between the conductive material and thesemiconductive portion or conductive device can be provided through thebottom or sidewalls of the recess. In some embodiments of the presentinvention, the material can include more than one layer. For example,the material can encompass a first layer of a first composition and asecond layer of a second composition overlying the first layer. The twocompositions can be, for example, a first composition comprising metal,nitrogen, and silicon (such as TaSiN); and a second compositionconsisting essentially of metal and nitrogen (such as TaN).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the following accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional, fragmentary view of aconstruction at a preliminary stage of an exemplary semiconductorfabrication process.

FIG. 2 is a view of the FIG. 1 construction at a processing stagesubsequent to that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the FIG. 1 construction at a processing stagesubsequent to that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional, fragmentary view of aconstruction at a preliminary stage of a fabrication process of forminga barrier layer.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional representation of a portion of asemiconductor substrate at an early process stage of an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional representation of the portion of asemiconductor substrate depicted in FIG. 5 at a subsequent process stageof an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional representation of the portion of asemiconductor substrate depicted in FIG. 6 at a subsequent process stageof an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional representation of the portion of asemiconductor substrate depicted in FIG. 7 at a subsequent process stageof an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are cross-sectional representations of the portion of asemiconductor substrate depicted in FIG. 8 at alternate subsequentprocess stages of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional representation of the portion of asemiconductor substrate depicted in FIG. 9A at a subsequent processstage of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional representation of an integrated capacitorstructure formed employing methods of exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of theconstitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progressof science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

The present invention can encompass methods of polishing resist toremove the resist from over conductive materials. An exemplaryembodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS.1-3.

Referring to FIG. 1, a construction 100 comprises a mass 102 having anopening 104 extending therein. Mass 102 can comprise an insulativematerial such as, for example, borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) and/orsilicon dioxide deposited from TEOS, and can be supported by asemiconductor substrate (not shown). To aid in interpretation of thedescription of the illustrations and claims that follow, the term“semiconductor substrate” is defined to mean any constructionencompassing silicon semiconductive material, including, but not limitedto, bulk silicon semiconductive materials such as a siliconsemiconductor wafer (either alone or in assemblies encompassing othermaterials thereon) and silicon semiconductive material layers (eitheralone or in assemblies encompassing other materials). The term“substrate” refers to any supporting structure, including, but notlimited to, the semiconductor substrates described above.

A metal-containing layer 106 extends over mass 102 and within opening104. Layer 106 can consist essentially of, for example, platinum or aplatinum-containing alloy. A layer 108 is formed over layer 106. Layer108 can comprise, for example, photoresist, and fills opening 104.

Referring to FIG. 2, layer 108 is polished from over layer 106 to exposeportions of layer 106 proximate opening 104. The layer 108 is not,however, removed from within opening 104. The polishing of layer 108preferably utilizes a polishing pad in combination with a solutionsubstantially lacking in particulates. Accordingly, in particularaspects of the invention, the polishing of layer 108 occurs throughmechanical action of the pad alone. The polishing proceeds through layer108, but stops on layer 106. The polishing can be accomplished withlittle, if any, smearing or scratching of layer 106. It is noted that insome aspects of the invention the polishing solution can consistessentially of water, and in other aspects the polishing solution cancomprise a combination of chemicals. For instance, the solution cancomprise a combination of water and a base (such as, for example, TMAH),so that the solution has a basic pH.

Referring to FIG. 3, the exposed portions of layer 106 are removed witha dry etch. In subsequent processing (not shown), resist 108 can beremoved from within opening 104 by, for example, ashing.

A process similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 can beutilized for etching of various so-called barrier layers. Barrier layersare provided, for example, to alleviate diffusion of Si and O atelevated temperatures, and can be incorporated into various capacitorstructures. An exemplary material which can be utilized as a barrierlayer is TaSi_(x)N_(y) (which can also be referred to herein as TaSiN,with the Ta, Si and N of the representation “TaSiN” referring to theelements contained within the designated compound and not to anyparticular stoichiometric relationship of the elements).

A barrier layer fabrication process is described with reference to FIG.4. Specifically, FIG. 4 shows a construction 120 comprising a mass 122having an opening 124 extending therein. Mass 122 can comprise aninsulative material such as, for example, silicon dioxide, and can besupported by a semiconductor substrate (not shown). A barrier layer 126extends over mass 122 and within opening 124. Layer 126 can comprise,for example, TaSi_(x)N_(y). A layer 128 is formed over layer 126. Layer128 can comprise, for example, photoresist, and fills opening 124.

Ultimately, the barrier layer material 126 is to be removed from over anuppermost surface of mass 122, but left within opening 124. Such can beaccomplished with processing analogous to that discussed above withreference to FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional representation of a portion of asemiconductor substrate 10 having an insulative portion 14 disposed overa semiconductive substrate 12. Insulative portion 14 can encompass oneor more layers of a variety of exemplary materials such as, for example,silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride. In particularembodiments of the present invention, portion 14 encompasses a BPSG(BoroPhosphoSilicate Glass) material or a TEOS-deposited silicondioxide. Semiconductive portion 12 can encompass a single crystalsilicon material.

Referring to FIG. 6, structure 10 is illustrated after a recess 20 isformed within portion 14. Recess 20 is typically formed by a patterningprocess that encompasses a masking step and an etching step. Recess 20has a bottom 22 and sidewalls 24. As depicted, bottom 22 iselevationally at an upper surface 16 of semiconductive substrate 12.However, such is illustrative only and it will be understood that insome embodiments of the present invention bottom 22 is elevationallyabove and displaced from upper surface 16. For example, in someembodiments, bottom 22 can be at an upper surface of an integratedcircuit device such as a conductive line disposed on semiconductivesubstrate 12 (not shown). After forming recess 20, a layer of material30 is formed over substrate 10. Material 30 is within recess 20 andextends laterally outward from recess 20 over insulative portion 14.More specifically, material 30 is over bottom 22 and sidewalls 24 ofrecess 20, only partially filling recess 20.

Material 30 can encompass conductive materials such as platinum (Pt),iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti) and mixturesor alloys of such materials. In addition, or alternatively, material 30can encompass oxides, nitrides and silicides of various metals. Forexample, in some embodiments in accordance with the present invention,material 30 encompasses one or more of a platinum-ruthenium alloy,ruthenium oxide (RuO), tantalum silicon nitride (TaSiN) or rutheniumsilicide (RuSi). In addition, it will be understood that for someembodiments of the present invention, material 30 is formed of more thanone layer. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, abarrier layer (not shown) such as a tantalum silicon nitride (TaSiN)material is first formed over insulative portion 14 and within recess 20and a second layer of electrode material (not shown) such as tantalumnitride (TaN) is second formed over the barrier layer and within recess20.

In particular aspects of the invention, material 30 can comprises atantalum-containing mass. Such mass can include one or both of siliconand nitrogen in addition to the tantalum.

Referring to FIG. 7, a layer 40 comprising, consisting essentially of orconsisting of, an organic material (such as an organic polymer), isdepicted over substrate 10. Specifically, layer 40 is formed overmaterial 30 and fills recess 20. Layer 40 can, in particularapplications, comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, aphotoresist material. For example, layer 40 can comprise an exemplaryphotoresist material designated OiR 897 10i™ and manufactured by ArchMicroelectronics, of Norwalk, Conn. Additionally, or alternatively,layer 40 can comprise resist compositions formed without aphotosensitive component (non-photosensitive resists) and/or polyimidematerials.

Resist or organic material layer 40 can be formed using any of severalappropriate process methods, for example by spin coating, spraying ordip-coating. In this manner a generally uniform layer 40 is providedthat advantageously fills recess 20 (FIG. 6) as depicted. After layer 40is formed, it can be subjected to what is commonly referred to as a“hard” bake. The specific processing conditions for the application andbaking of the material used to form resist layer 40 will be understood,by one of ordinary skill in the semiconductor arts, to depend on thespecific material employed for resist layer 40. Thus where the exemplaryOiR 897 10i™ material is used, it has been found advantageous to applysuch material by a spin-coating process and to subsequently hard bakethe layer at a temperature of from about 85 degrees Celsius (° C.) toabout 100° C. for a period of time from several tens of seconds toseveral minutes in duration.

Referring to FIG. 8, the structure of FIG. 7 is depicted after a portionof resist layer 40 is removed. As shown, resist layer 40 is removed suchthat segments 34 of material 30 outward of and adjacent to recess 20 areexposed and a resist plug 42 within recess 20 is formed. Layer 40 hasthus been removed selectively relative to material 30.

The removal of the portion of resist or organic material layer 40 can beaccomplished by providing contact of a chemical mechanical polishing padand a polishing fluid (not shown) with resist layer 40. The term“chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) pad” refers to a constructiontraditionally employed for performing chemical mechanical polishing.Such constructions can include pads used in a system for chemicalmechanical polishing where the CMP pad is provided to have at least oneof rotational motion about an axis and linear motion along an axis. CMPpads utilized with embodiments of the present invention can encompass apolyurethane material and are manufactured by, for example, RodelProducts of Phoenix, Ariz. and Thomas West, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.Chemical mechanical polishing systems that provide the at least one oflinear motion and rotational motion include, for example, the TERES™ CMPSystem manufactured by LAM Research Corporation of Fremont, Calif. andthe MIRRA MESA ADVANCED INTEGRATED CMP SYSTEM™ manufactured by AppliedMaterials, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., respectively. Exemplary padsare those formed of a rigid or semi-rigid microporous polyurethanematerial, or polyurethane-impregnated polyester material or acombination of such materials, although other appropriate materials canbe used. The specific pad employed will depend, in part, on the specificresist material employed and the conditions at which the selected resistmaterial was processed to form layer 40. It is noted that harder padscan induce a faster CMP removal rate of resist than softer pads throughincreased mechanical action. However, the harder pads may also createmore scratches than softer pads to an underlying material 34.Accordingly, the physical characteristics of a polishing pad can bechosen to balance a desired removal rate with an acceptable level ofscratching in material 34.

In addition to the pad characteristics, the nature of the polishingfluid employed in contact with both the CMP pad and resist layer 40 canbe a factor in determining an advantageous CMP pad material and/orconstruction. Accordingly, it can be desired to adjust a pH of thepolishing fluid to a desired range. In particular applications, TMAH canbe utilized in a polishing solution when a basic pH is desired.

Chemical mechanical polishing is known in the art to be suitable forremoving a wide variety of materials. Typically such materials are hardmaterials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, polycrystallinesilicon and the like. While the polyurethane material typically employedto form CMP pads has some degree of roughness, material removal effectedby such pads is believed the result, in significant part, of abrasiveparticles that are typically included into the polishing fluid or slurryand not the pad itself. In addition, the polishing fluid typicallyencompasses a material that is chemically reactive with regard to thematerials being polished and thus is also generally significant in theremoval of a material. Thus CMP is the combined action of (1) thechemical reactivity between the fluid and the materials being polishedor removed, (2) the abrasiveness of the included particles, and (3) theeffect of the CMP pad to create a pressure of contact and a linearvelocity, in excess of zero, of that contact through which (1) and (2)can interact with the material being polished and/or removed.

Embodiments of the present invention, however, can employ a polishingfluid that is selected to be essentially unreactive with both resist ororganic material layer 40 and conductive material layer 30. In addition,such fluid is typically provided having few, if any, particles.Exemplary materials for such a polishing fluid include, water havingessentially no particles, or an aqueous based polishing fluid havingsilica-comprising particles where the concentration of such particles isless than or equal to 0.1% by weight. Thus absent the chemicalreactivity and the abrasiveness of included particles, it is theorizedthat the principle mechanism for the removal of resist layer 40 is theabrasiveness of the CMP pad and the pressure with which such padcontacts layer 40. Advantageously, it is found that where such apolishing fluid and CMP pad are used for removing resist layer 40 toexpose substantially all of upper surfaces 32 of material 30, theabsence of particles in the polishing fluid and the generally unreactivenature of the polishing fluid itself, provide that upper surfaces 32 areessentially unpolished. That is to say that exposed portions 34 ofmaterial 30 act essentially as an etch or polish stop layer and resistremoval is essentially stopped with the forming of resist plug 42. Itwill be understood, as the polishing fluid employed by embodiments ofthe present invention use little or no particulates in the polishingfluid, that when resist layer 40 is removed to expose upper surface 32,there is little or no removal of such material. Thus scratches and/orsmears are essentially or entirely eliminated.

It is noted that particles can be generated during polishing of aresist, with the particles corresponding to removed fragments of theresist. In particular applications of the invention, a total amount ofparticles within a fluid utilized for removing resist, other thanparticles generated from the removal of the resist, is less than orequal to 0.1%, by weight, of a polishing fluid. In some embodiments thenumber of particles in the fluid, other than particles generated fromresist removal, is 0%, or in other words, non-detectable.

In particular aspects of the invention, chemical reactivity of apolishing fluid can be enhanced by, for example, shifting a pH of thepolishing fluid. Such can be accomplished by, for example, incorporatingone or both of ammonia and TMAH within the polishing fluid. Preferably,the increase in chemical reactivity of the polishing fluid will berelative to mass 40 (FIG. 7) and not material 30. Accordingly, removalof mass 40 relative to material 30 will be further enhanced by theadditional chemical reactivity of the polishing fluid. In applicationsin which material 30 comprises platinum and mass 40 comprisesphotoresist, it can be desirable to include one or both of ammonia andTMAH in the polishing fluid to obtain a pH of the polishing fluid offrom about 8 to about 12.

While various organic materials are appropriate for forming resist layer40, and while various polishing fluids, CMP pad materials and the likecan be selected for removing layer 40 from over material 30 adjacentrecess 20 to form the structure depicted in FIG. 4, it has been foundadvantageous where an OiR 897 10i™ resist is selected and formedemploying a hard bake step at a temperature of about 92° C. for about 60seconds, to use a Rodel IC1000™ or 1400 CMP™ pad, or Sycamore OXP™ pad,and a polishing fluid having an initial particulate concentration ofless than or equal to 0.1% by weight for the removal. As one of skill inthe semiconductor arts will understand, where other materials andprocess conditions are employed for forming resist layer 40 (FIG. 3),tailoring CMP processing conditions to form plug 42 and to exposeportions 34 of material 30 is made possible by this disclosure.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an apparatus to determinea resist removal endpoint is employed. For example, the torque requiredto provide motion of the CMP pad with respect to the substrate will varywhen material 30 becomes substantially exposed, that is to say, whenessentially all of the resist layer is removed from over upper surfaces32 of material 30. Thus an apparatus for monitoring changes in torquecan be effective for determining the endpoint. Other methods and devicesfor determining endpoint are also possible. For example, as material 30becomes exposed, the reflectivity of substrate 10 will change. Thus anapparatus for monitoring reflectivity can also be effective fordetermining the endpoint of the resist removal.

Referring to FIG. 9A, the structure of FIG. 8 is shown at one alternate,subsequent processing stage. The exposed portions 34 of layer 30 (FIG.8) are removed defining a portion 36 a of layer 30 within recess 20 aswell as an essentially planar upper surface 16 a of semiconductorsubstrate 10 laterally adjacent recess 20. Exposed portions 34 can beremoved employing a chemical mechanical polishing method where a secondpolishing fluid or slurry is provided, replacing the polishing fluidused for removing the resist, once the structure of FIG. 8 is formed. Inother embodiments, both the polishing fluid and CMP pad are changed. Itwill be understood that such changes of the polishing fluid and/or theCMP pad can be effected at a single polishing station or by movingsubstrate 10 to an alternate station, where such alternate station hasthe changed material(s).

Second polishing fluid, and where employed a second CMP pad, areselected to provide effective removal of exposed portions of layer 34(FIG. 8). Thus the second fluid is different from the first fluid inthat it typically has an increased initial concentration of particlesand will typically be chemically reactive to the conductive material oflayer 34. Where a second CMP pad is used, such second pad is compatiblewith the second fluid. In addition, the second fluid will typically havean enhanced reactivity toward the material of exposed portions 34 beingremoved, as compared to the first fluid's general absence of reactivityto the material of exposed portions 34.

It will be noted while the CMP processing used to remove exposedportions 34 can also remove some of resist plug 42 a, such plugadvantageously serves to protect recess 20. That is to say, if theremoval of exposed portions 34 (FIG. 8) during a CMP process results inscratches or smearing of the material of portions 34, resist plug 42 aprevents such scratches and smears from effecting the structure formedwithin recess 20. In other words, resist plug 42 a can prevent theremoved material of exposed portions 34 from entering recess 20 duringCMP removal of such exposed portions and coming in contact with or beingproximate to portions 36 a.

In a particular aspect of the invention the processing of FIGS. 5-9A isutilized in formation of a material 34 comprising TaSiN and/or TaN (withthe materials being described in terms of the atoms comprised by thematerials rather than any particular stoichiometry). The polish utilizedto remove resist 40 between the stage of FIG. 7 and that of FIG. 8 is afirst polish comprising substantially no particles in the polishingfluid. The polish utilized to remove material 30 in proceeding from thestage of FIG. 8 to that of FIG. 9A is a second polish utilizingparticles. An exemplary polish for proceeding from the stage of FIG. 8to that of FIG. 9A utilizes a polishing slurry comprising a materialavailable from Hitachi as T605™, together with from about 0.1 wt % toabout 0.5 wt % H₂O₂. The polishing of resist 40 thus utilizes a solutiontailored to remove resist 40, and the polishing of material 30 utilizesa solution tailored to remove material 30. Accordingly, the removal ofeach of materials 40 and 30 can proceed with high uniformity. In someaspects of the invention, better uniformity can be obtained by utilizingthe two tailored etching solutions than by using a single etchingsolutions to remove both of materials 40 and 30 in proceeding from thestage of FIG. 7 to that of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9B depicts an alternate embodiment where exposed portions 34 (FIG.8) are removed using a chemical or a plasma etching method. As depicted,a raised plug 42 b is seen to extend upward from surface 16 b ofsubstrate 10. Thus subsequent to the forming of resist plug 42 andexposed portions 34 (FIG. 8), substrate 10 is either exposed to achemical solution or plasma that removes the material of such exposedportions. Such chemical solution or plasma is selected to be essentiallyunreactive with respect to the resist material and thus a raised plug 42b is formed. Analogous to what was seen for the structure of FIG. 9A,plug 42 b serves to protect portion 36 b within recess 20.

Referring to FIG. 10, a structure is illustrated subsequent to theprocessing of FIGS. 9A or 9B, and specifically, subsequent to theremoval of resist plugs 42 a or 42 b. Plugs 42 a or 42 b can be removedby employing a chemical solution or plasma tailored to remove thematerial of the plugs. Where plugs 42 a and/or 42 b are a photoresistmaterial, one exemplary removal method is an oxygen plasma, although anyappropriate method can be used. As seen, material layer 30 istransformed into layer 36 entirely within recess 20 and adjacent bottom22 and sidewalls 24 of such recess 20. Layer 36 can be, for example, anelectrode of a capacitor structure, some or all of which to be formedwithin recess 20. Advantageously, the structure depicted in FIG. 10 hasbeen formed without a photomasking step subsequent to the forming ofrecess 20. Rather, as shown above, the patterning to form layer 36within recess 20 can be accomplished, in some embodiments, usingessentially blanket depositions and CMP processing only. In otherembodiments, chemical or plasma processing can be used, after theforming of plug 42 (FIG. 8), to define layer 36 as discussed above, alsowithout the need for a photomasking step.

Referring to FIG. 11, a portion of a semiconductor substrate 10 aencompassing a semiconductive portion 12 a and overlying insulativeportions 15 is depicted. A portion of a capacitor structure 70, inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention, is shown disposedwithin an upper, second formed portion of insulative layers 15.

Within semiconductive portion 12 a is a conductive node 64, disposedlaterally between and elevationally below conductive line structures 62.Conductive plug 60 is depicted disposed above and in electricalcommunication with conductive node 64. Where conductive plug 60encompasses a doped polysilicon material, generally a contactenhancement material layer 55 encompassing a metal silicide (such astitanium silicide) is disposed over and in electrical communication withthe polysilicon of conductive plug 60.

Turning to capacitor structure 70, disposed within an upper or secondformed part of insulative portion 15, such encompasses recess 20 havinga material layer 36 c formed therein. Recess 20 being formed in a manneranalogous to the methods previously discussed with regard to FIG. 6, andmaterial layer 36 c being formed and subsequently defined in a manneranalogous to the defining of layer 36 from layer 30 in FIGS. 9A or 9B.Material layer 36 c, however, encompasses a diffusion barrier materialand can be formed of a single such diffusion barrier material, oralternatively of such a barrier material and a conductive material, suchas described previously for layer 30. Exemplary diffusion barriermaterials include, among others, tantalum nitride and/or tantalumsilicon nitride, while exemplary conductive materials include, amongothers, materials comprising Pt, Ru, Ta and mixtures or alloys thereof.It will be understood that while exemplary materials for layer 36 c areprovided, other barrier materials and/or combinations of barriermaterials and conductive materials other can also be employed. Any andall of such materials can be formed by appropriate methods such aschemical vapor deposition of physical vapor deposition methods.

Typically where capacitor structure 70 employs a high dielectricconstant material layer 50, barrier layer material is provided withinlayer 36 c to reduce and/or eliminate any reactive interactions, forexample between such dielectric material and the material of plug 60 orthe material of insulative portion 15 or any other such interactionbetween materials in communication with one another. Exemplary highdielectric constant materials employed for layer 50 include, but are notlimited to, Al₂O₃, Ta₂O₅, and barium strontium titanate (BST). Asdepicted, layer 50 does not fill recess 20 and a second capacitorelectrode layer 54 is shown formed and patterned. Such second electrodelayer generally encompasses a material similar to that of material layer36 (FIG. 9A). Advantageously the structure depicted for capacitorstructure 70 is formed by methods analogous to those previouslydescribed with respect to FIGS. 5-10.

It will be recognized that embodiments of the present invention includemethods for forming capacitor structures and removing resist thatprovide for the removal of portions of a material without preventing theproper forming of a desired capacitor structure. Embodiments of thepresent invention can also provide for reduced scratching and smearingof electrode materials by removing portions of the resist without theuse of particulates within a polishing fluid or in the alternative withvery low initial concentrations of particulates. In this manner, littleor no scratching or smearing occurs as conductive materials are exposed.In addition, embodiments of the present invention can provide a CMPmethod that eliminates the use of a photomasking step for patterning atleast one capacitor electrode. As is known, the removal of aphotomasking step can serve to reduce processing costs and generally toincrease process yield.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described inlanguage more or less specific as to structural and methodical features.It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown and described, since the means hereindisclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the proper scope of the appended claimsappropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine ofequivalents.

1-53. (canceled)
 54. Removing carbon-comprising material from above asubstrate with a pad and a fluid, the fluid comprising a particulateconcentration of less than or equal to about 0.1 weight percent at aninitiation of the removing.
 55. The removing of claim 54 wherein, thepad is a chemical-mechanical-polishing pad.
 56. The removing of claim 54wherein, the substrate is semiconductive.
 57. The removing of claim 54wherein, the fluid is substantially unreactive with the substrate. 58.The removing of claim 54 wherein, the carbon-comprising material alsocomprises both oxygen and hydrogen.
 59. The removing of claim 54wherein, the carbon-comprising material comprises a resist-material. 60.A carbon-comprising material removal system, comprising: a substratesupport configured to support a substrate having a carbon-comprisingmaterial thereon; a pad configured to physically contact thecarbon-comprising material; and a fluid source, the fluid sourceconfigured to provide a fluid to a location between the pad and thematerial, the fluid comprising a particulate concentration of less thanor equal to about 0.1 weight percent.
 61. The system of claim 60 whereinthe substrate comprises both semiconductive material and conductivematerial, the conductive material forming a surface of the substrate andhaving the carbon-comprising material thereon.
 62. The system of claim60 wherein the pad is a chemical-mechanical-polishing pad.
 63. Thesystem of claim 62 wherein the pad includes a surface facing thecarbon-comprising material, the surface of the pad comprising apolyurethane-material.
 64. The system of claim 60 wherein the pad isconfigured to rotate about an axis.
 65. The system of claim 60 whereinthe pad is configured to have linear motion along an axis.
 66. Thesystem of claim 60 wherein the fluid comprises an additive, the additivebeing both reactive with the carbon-comprising material and unreactivewith the substrate.
 67. The system of claim 66 wherein the additivecomprises TMAH.
 68. An integrated circuitry manufacturing process,comprising: applying a mask above a semiconductive substrate; creating arecess within the substrate using the mask; and removing at least aportion of the mask with a pad and fluid, the fluid substantiallylacking in particulates.
 69. The process of claim 68 wherein substratecomprises a conductive material and a semiconductive material, theconductive material being a surface of the substrate and contacting themask.
 70. The process of claim 68 wherein the recess is created in atleast the conductive material.
 71. The process of claim 68 whereinduring the removing of the portion of the mask the fluid does not reactwith the conductive material.
 72. The process of claim 68 wherein themask comprises one of photoresist material or non-photosensitive resistmaterial.
 73. The process of claim 68 wherein the mask comprises apolyimide material.